Automobile manufacturers commonly affix decorative ornaments to the hood or front grill section of the vehicle. Usually these hood ornaments incorporate the trademark or logo of the manufacturer. In most instances the hood ornaments extend vertically upward from the top of the vehicle's hood. For safety reasons and to accommodate modern day car washes the ornaments are frequently flexibly spring mounted to allow the ornament to bend over or tilt, without breaking, when encountering an obstacle.
A problem, however, has arisen with respect to the theft of hood ornaments from automobiles Either through simple vandalism or intentional theft hood ornaments are being stolen from the vehicles on a more frequent basis. This may be due in part to the increasing public awareness and popularity of brand names and logos. Whatever the motivational factors behind the theft of these hood ornaments a means of deterrence is needed to stop these thefts from occurring.
Prior alarm or deterrent means have consisted primarily of traditional automotive burglar alarms. These alarm systems are quite expensive and are constructed to sound an alarm whenever any portion of the vehicle is tampered with. The only prior system directed solely to an alarm for the hood ornament is one manufactured by Pro-Tek Emblem Guard. The Pro-Tek device is unsatisfactory due to its construction and the time consuming installation procedure resulting from its peculiar construction. This device utilizes a dual-body construction incorporating spaced-apart, single point contacts which must be properly spaced and aligned in order for the device to function. Due to vibration of the unit during the opening and closing of the hood of the vehicle and also during normal vehicle operation this prior unit may shift out of alignment thereby rendering the alarm inoperable.
A need therefore exists for an inexpensive, simple to install hood ornament alarm. A need also exists for a hood ornament alarm having a uni-body construction which eliminates the problem of having to align spaced apart contacts.